Knowledge and competence management at Ericsson: decentralization and organizational fit

Abstract

The present paper is a cross‐sectional case study of knowledge management (KM) initiatives at Ericsson. The general aim of the study was to investigate how a large Swedish telecom corporation developed and integrated KM tools with existing organizational structure, needs and tasks, and to pinpoint opportunities and pitfalls in this regard. In order to do this the authors mapped and categorized the KM initiatives developed in the company. The method used was a series of semi‐structured interviews which focused on, among other things, getting respondents to identify the organizational needs that arise as a result of context and task. The results are presented in a two‐by‐two matrix categorizing KM initiatives as to content and mode of implementation. The paper concludes with a number of hypotheses and propositions that may be used for further investigation into how firms may go about optimally organizing their knowledge management strategies.